Biography of Wayne Gretzky [Age, Height, Wife, Kids, Family, Salary, Award & Net worth ]

The New York Post reports that “The Great One” is being courted by Turner Sports for a “Charles Barkley” like role.

The Canadian retired hockey player Wayne Douglas Gretzky has a net worth of $250 million. 

Wayne Douglas Gretzky is a former professional hockey player for the Canadian team and a former head coach from Brantford.

With outstanding performances in his former career, he is widely known for being one of hockey’s greatest players and has broken more than 61 records in the NHL.

Gretzky contributed 20 years in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four different teams from 1979 to 1999.

In 1999, after his retirement, he was immediately inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and in 2000, he was inducted into the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame.

Wayne Gretzky:  Quick Facts

Full name	Wayne Douglas Gretzky
Nickname	Wayne Gretzky The Great One
Birthdate	26 January 1961
Birthplace	Brantford, Ontario,Canada
Nationality	Canadian
Ethnicity	Unknown
Religion	Jewish
Zodiac Sign	Aquarius
Age	61 years old
Father’s name	Walter Gretzky
Mother’s name	Phyllis Hockin
Sibling	Brent Gretzky Keith Gretzky Glen Gretzky Kim Gretzky
High School	Brantford
College	Sault Ste.
Gender	Male
Marital Status	Married
Wife’s Name	Janet Jones (m. 1988)
Ex-Girlfriends	Unknown
Children	Five; two daughters and 3 sons
Children’s Name	Paulina Gretzky Emma Gretzky Tristan Gretzky Trevor Gretzky Ty Gretzky
Weight	185 lb (84 kg)
Height	6 feet (183 cm)
Eye Color	Blue
Hair Color	Light Brown
Profession	Ice hockey player Athlete Coach
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played For	Indianapolis Racers Edmonton Oilers Los Angeles Kings St. Louis Blues New York Rangers
National Team	Canada
Playing Career	1978-1999
Salary	$45,079,614
Net Worth	$250 million
Social Media	Twitter, Instagram
Website	gretzky.com
Merch	Jersey, Funko Pop, Hockey Card
Last Update	August, 2022

Wayne Gretzky: Net Worth & Income

The retired Canadian professional hockey player has a net worth of $250 million. While contributing his career in the NHL, he earned $46 million as an NHL salary.

Gretzky showcased the most promising young prospect, and Racers owner Nelson Skalbanai signed 17-year-old Gretzky to a seven-year personal services contract worth US$ 1.75 million in World Hockey Association.

Similarly, at the age of 18, Gretzky signed a contract with Pocklington for a 10-year personal services contract worth $3 million.

Later, Wayne Gretzky signed an $8 million contract with the New York Rangers as a free agent.

With involvement in the endorsement, he got an additional $50 million during his career days. Likewise, when combined, he earned around the same as $150 million after adjusting for inflation.

The New York Post reports that Gretzky is being hired by Turner Sports for a “Charles Barkley” like- job that is the role of a studio analyst.

He has demanded $5 million as salary to address/ comment on key moments of the NHL regular season and throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

To add on, veteran play-by-play commentator Kenny Albert and analyst Eddie Olczyk will join him and call live games for Turner Sports.

Wayne Douglas Gretzky Net Worth: Lifestyle

House

Along with his wife, Janet, Wayne Gretzky lived in the 13,000-square-foot Thousand Oaks mansion in California. The nearly 7 acres of land is highly gated for the privacy of the family.

The luxury mansion designed in a Colonial Revival style consists of six beds, eight bath main house, and two guest houses.

Later, in 2007, the Gretzky couple moved out, selling it to baseball start; Lenny Dykstra, who had to sell the house, has gone into foreclosure.

In 2018, the Gretzky couple again repurchased it for $14.9 million. However, the stunning mansion is again on the market for a sum of $22.9 million.

After its gated entrance, the mansion opens up to a motor court with stunning 360-degree panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains and the beautiful Lake Sherwood.

The mansion inside opens to a large foyer with a wide staircase that curves up to the first floor.

But the house was too big for the couple

Similarly, the large living room is filled with huge windows and spectacular long-distance views across the Conejo Valley.

Likewise, a Championships-zed tennis court, a huge swimming pool, a full gym, and a detached garage with four cars outside.

Despite the house having various facilities, the Gretzky couples have decided that it was too huge to maintain with their five kids out of the house.

With this thought and initiation, they have decided to put the house back on the market with Arvin Haddad of The Agency.

Book

Wayne Gretzky has written many books regarding his life and career history. Some of his works include Gretzky: An Autobiography (1990) and 99: My Life in Picitures (1999).

In 2016, he wrote 99: Stories of the Game, which looked at hockey history. This book became one of the best-selling Canadian books in that year.

Wayne Gretzky: Endorsement and Business Ventures

With making history in his NHL career, Wayne Gretzky, after his retirement, invested heavily in the ownership of different sports teams.

Right after his retirement, various NHL teams approached him about an ownership role.

In 1985, Gretzky bought the Hull Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for CAD 175,000.

Later, in 1992, he sold the team for CAD 550,000. While he was the owner, he changed the team’s color to silver and black.

When in 1991, Bruce McNall purchased the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, Wayne Gretzky was the minority owner who later sold the team in 1994.

He purchased a rare Honus Wagner T206 cigarette card for USD 451,000 in a partnership with McNall, selling it later. The cigarette card was sold for $2.8 million.

From Foods to Pillowcases

Similarly, Gretzky and McNall also owned Thoroughbred racehorses, and one of them won France’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 1990.

Wayne Gretzky’s appeal as a product endorser surpassed that of other hockey players of his era, and by 1995, he was one of the five highest-paid athlete endorsers in North America.

He got deals from Domino’s Pizza, Coca-Cola Company, Sharp Corporation, Upper Deck Company, etc.

He had also launched and endorsed a wide variety of products from pillowcases to insurance.

Gretzky also partnered with First Team Sports, the maker of sports equipment, and Worldwide Roller Hockey Inc.

Likewise, he was also included in the video game brand EA Sports in its 2010 title NHL Slapshot.

Business Venture

As a part-owner with Andrew Peller Ltd. in 2017, Wayne Gretzky opened a winery and distillery.

It bore the name of Wayne Gretzky Estates in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The products were labeled by the trademark, No. 99.

From the time period from 1993 to 2002, the former player, along with a business partner, operated Wayne Gretzky’s restaurant in downtown Toronto.

Later, in 2016 he opened other restaurants at the Edmonton International Airport with the Name No.99 Gretzky’s Wine & Whisky. In 2018, he called Studio 99 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.

Waynes Gretzky: Charity Works

In 2002, former hockey player Wayne Gretzky founded the Wayne Gretzky Foundation. He founded the foundation to provide less fortunate youths with the experience of hockey sports.

He is helping with the donation of hockey equipment and ice time while also providing the opportunity for youths to attend professional hockey games.

The Wayne Gretzky Foundation trusts that hockey instills many positive life skills and emotional and social growth in the youths.

Likewise, the foundation annually conducts events by a huge amount of fund-raising events and donations from corporate sponsors.

Celebrities and other sponsors also play a huge amount in keeping this foundation growing.

The former hockey player Gretzky has established a hockey school, and the youths interested will have their registration fees go to the Wayne Gretzky Foundation.

The foundation has raised over 1 million dollars with the support of youth in hockey.

Wayne Gretzky also contributes and supports other charities such as the Arthritis Society of Canada, Bone Marrow Foundation, Casey Lee Ball Foundation, Lupus Canada, and many more.

 

Wayne Gretzky: Career and Records

Before jumping into the NHL, at the age of 17, Wayne Gretzky signed a USD 1.75 million seven-year personal services contract with the Indianapolis Racers in the WHA.

Later after the WHA folded in 1979, Gretzky’s team joined the NHL, and he contributed to leading them to four Stanley Cup victories.

As a member of the Oilers, he was honored with the Hart Memorial Trophy during his first NHL season as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player.

He became the first player in the NHL history to break the two hundred-point mark with outstanding performances, scoring over 200 points in a season and other achievements.

In 1999, he retired from his professional career with his last contribution by playing for the New York Rangers.

After his playing career, Gretzky moved into a management role as the executive director of the Canadian National Men’s Hockey Team for the 2020 Winter Olympics.

Later, in May 2000, with a partnership with Steven Ellman, he became a part-owner of the NHL team, the Phoenix Coyotes. Gretzky was the team’s coach from October 2005 till September 2009.

Wayne Gretzky also became the vice-chairman and partner of Oilers Entertainment Group in 2016. He was honorary chairman of the Open Ice Summit, held in August 1999 to discuss the tactics to improve Canadian ice hockey.

Legacy

• With outstanding performances, Gretzky’s career was filled with achievements and honors. He won nine Hart Trophies as the most valuable player in the NHL.
• He was also awarded the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s season points leader 10 times. In 1985 and 1988, he was named the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
• The Lester B. Pearson Award, which was given to the NHL’s “most outstanding player,” was earned by Gretzky on five occasions.
• Gretzky’s hometown of Brantford, Ontario, renamed Park Road North to “Wayne Gretzky Parkway” as well as renamed the North Park Recreation Centre to The Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre.
• There is a huge statue of Gretzky outside the Staples Center when the Kings held a jersey retirement ceremony in 2002.
• As a tribute to the Gretzky, Capilano freeway was renamed Wayne Gretzky Drive in October 1999 for his time with Edmonton Oilers.

Similarly, several trophies and awards have been made under his name.

• The United States Hockey Hall of Fame has created the Wayne Gretzky International Award to honor international individuals who have made major contributions to the development and growth of hockey in the United States.
• Another award dedicated under his name is the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award annually presented to the Most Valuable Player in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs.
• Likewise, the Wayne Gretzky Trophy is presented annually to the playoff champion of the OHL’s Western Conference.
•  He was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017.

Trivia

• Gretzky learned skating on the Nith River near his grandparent’s farm in Canning, Ontario, even before three.
• He endorsed the Conservation party and Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the 2015 Canadian federal election campaign.
• Gretzky was also named “The Great One” due to his scores in his hockey games.
• The marriage of Gretzky and Janet was broadcasted live throughout Canada from Edmonton’s St. Joseph’s Basilica.

Quotes

• “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.”